


The Boy Who Reminded Him of the Stars

by toorv



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, I tried to un-angst it and I kind of did in the final chapter?, M/M, Oikawa and Iwaizumi are childhood friends, fluff?, struggles, they're just very cute together, well pre-college
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-13
Updated: 2016-03-17
Packaged: 2018-05-26 10:59:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6236062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toorv/pseuds/toorv
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s not like Iwaizumi was into volleyball from the beginning. To be honest, if it wasn’t for <i>him<i>, he wouldn’t even be playing volleyball now.</i></i></p><p>It was all because of that boy. That boy who reminded him of the stars; so beautiful, and now so far out of reach.</p><p>They had been best friends since childhood, two kids with absolutely nothing in common. But now, looking at the beautiful brunette sitting across from him, Iwaizumi could feel that they were drifting further and further apart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to make it a happy ending but I accidentally strayed...sorry. Maybe I'll add another chapter? I really need to make up my mind...

It’s not like Iwaizumi was in to volleyball from the beginning. To be honest, if it wasn’t for _him_ , he wouldn’t even be playing volleyball now.

It was all because of that boy. That boy who reminded him of the stars; so beautiful, and now so far out of reach.

They had been best friends since childhood, two kids with absolutely nothing in common. But now, looking at the beautiful brunette sitting across from him, Iwaizumi could feel that they were drifting further and further apart. Oikawa was always alone. Not physically, but mentally. He was constantly surrounded, but no one could tell what he was thinking, not even Iwaizumi. At least, not anymore. There was a point in time when Iwaizumi knew everything about Oikawa - his insecurities, his concerns, his dreams, his aspirations. But now, even those days seemed so far away. Oikawa always seemed troubled by one thing or another, but whenever Iwaizumi asked, he would just wave his hands about and laugh, as if he could actually fool Iwaizumi. 

“Oi, shittykawa” No response. “Hey! Oikawa Tooru!” The sudden sound of his full name startled Oikawa and he looked up from his pile of letters.

“Want to play some video games?”. Oikawa shook his head.

“Nah, not today.” he replied, lowering his head again.

“How about we call up the team and play a set. It’s been a while hasn’t it?” Iwaizumi kept his gaze fixated on Oikawa.

“Hmm? Iwa-chan, I just played with those college students yesterday! I don’t have enough energy for another one today.”

“Well then, have you decided on which school you want to go to yet?” Iwaizumi asked, desperate to keep the dying conversation from burning out.

Oikawa sighed. “Iwa-chan, you know how indecisive I can be. Of course not.” he said before returning to his letters.

 Iwaizumi stared at his roommate. The light curls in his brown hair; the creases between his eyes; his eyes. Those eyes. Brown, like melted chocolate. At some point in time, he had slowly fallen in love with this boy. Not that he’d ever admit it of course. It’s not like Oikawa would ever like him in the same way. Or would he? Iwaizumi shook his head. _Get yourself together,_ he thought to himself.

Oikawa cocked his head to one side and giggled, amused by Iwaizumi’s rapid head shake. He pressed a finger to Iwaizumi’s forehead.

“Iwa-chan, stop frowning. It’ll leave wrinkles.” He said, frowning a little himself.

Oikawa been like this a lot recently - generally unresponsive and quiet. Iwaizumi lifted his eyes to see that Oikawa was once again immersed in his letters. “Shut up, shittykawa.” He got up and went back to his room, shutting the door with more force than he intended to. Oikawa had rarely been home for the past few months. He seemed to be been out and about almost every day, visiting one college after another, always being recruited as a talented player like him _should_ be. Because of that, Iwaizumi had been looking forward to this day for ages. He wanted to reconnect with his best friend but all Oikawa did was bury his head in all his offers. _It’s still the same,_  Iwaizumi grunted.

All Iwaizumi wanted was another day of video games, just like they used to do; or better yet, one more game of volleyball. He missed playing with Oikawa. He missed the way Oikawa used to set the ball right where Iwaizumi wanted it to be. It always felt right. They were Seijou’s legendary pair, the grand king and his lion heart, his knight. But not anymore. Oikawa had gone _way_ beyond being just “the grand king” and Iwaizumi was no longer his lion heart. Sometimes Iwaizumi wondered if he meant anything at all. " _He_ _was the one dragged me into volleyball and now he leaves me here. Alone."_ Iwaizumi could feel the frustration build up inside him as he reached for the teal colored album sitting beside his bed - it had been a gift to him from his teammates at Aoba Jousai. He chucked it across the room, watching as the album hit the edge of his table, the pictures scattering all over the ground.

“Iwa-chan! Are you okay? What was that sound?” Oikawa shouted from outside the room.

 Iwaizumi pushed himself up and slowly began to pick up all the pictures laid out on the ground.

“It’s nothing. I’m fine. I just accidentally dropped something.” 

“Oh, okay. Well, Iwa-chan, I need to go out to meet up with some coaches and college players now. I’ll be back in a bit.”

And with that he was gone. Again.

Iwaizumi looked at the pictures in his hand, trying to hold onto whatever was left of the Oikawa he used to know. The boy he used to tease incessantly because he knew that Oikawa of all people would know he didn’t mean it. The boy who, despite being called a “pretty-boy”, was never actually capable of taking care of himself. Unlike what other people claimed, Oikawa never spent anytime protecting his hands or fixing his hair. His hands were always dry and cracked from practice, and those curls that always seemed to be in place were just what he woke up with. He never believed it when others said that Oikawa didn’t care about anything but volleyball. He knew that no one cared more about his team and friends than Oikawa. But perhaps now, volleyball really was all that he cared about.

Iwaizumi sat himself down on the couch and gave into the tears that had collected at the rim of his eyes. _Oikawa won’t be coming back till later anyways._ His tears rolled down his cheek as he thought to himself, _p_ _erhaps once people change, there really is no turning back._

\-----

“Iwa-chan,” Iwaizumi’s eyelids fluttered open as he felt someone gently shaking him awake. He sat up, rubbing his eyes. It was almost 12am. So much for “I’ll be back in a bit”.

“Iwa-chan, don’t sleep out here. Go to bed. You’ll catch a cold.” Iwaizumi rolled his eyes. There it was again, Oikawa’s sudden spurt of consideration. He should have been ecstatic. Wasn’t this what he wanted? For Oikawa to show that he still cared? But for some reason all he felt was frustration.

“You know? You don’t have to act like you care, Oikawa.”

“What do you mean?” Oikawa asked, taken aback by Iwaizumi’s sudden coldness. 

“I said. You. Don’t. Have. To. Act. Like. You. Care.” Iwaizumi repeated his sentence, paying particular attention to make sure each word was loud and clear. He got up from the couch and headed for his room.

“What is this actually about?” Oikawa reached out and grabbed Iwaizumi’s wrist. Iwaizumi winced, if Oikawa held on any tighter it would definitely leave a mark.

“Why don’t you ask your college friends and your stack of letters” He threw his arm back, forcing Oikawa to let go and then he stormed off again.

“Iwa-chan!” Oikawa chased after him. “I know I haven’t been home as often these days and I’m sorry, but you know how much these opportunities mean to me!”

 Right outside his bedroom, Iwaizumi turned around once more.

“You know what? I _don’t_ know. I _thought_ I knew. But frankly, I don’t.” And with that he slammed the door shut.

Oikawa knocked lightly on the door. “Iwa-chan, please open the door.”

Iwaizumi sat with his back to the door. He felt guilty. He knew that he was just being salty and that Oikawa did nothing wrong. He didn’t even know why he cared so much. Well, he did; but he never thought it would bother him _this_ much.

“Go away, Oikawa. I’m tired. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

“I’m sorry Iwa-chan. Please just talk to me.” Oikawa’s voice was coated with worry and irritation.

“JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!” Iwaizumi threw his right hand back with frustration, accidentally hitting it on the corner of the table next to him. He watched as blood dripped from the cut on his hand.

“I SAID I’M SORRY! I’M SORRY I HAVEN’T BEEN HOME. I’M SORRY I’VE BEEN QUIET. WHY ARE YOU BEING LIKE THIS?” Oikawa shouted, no longer able to hold back his anger. 

“BECAUSE I LOVE-” Iwaizumi covered his mouth with his hand, shocked that he had nearly let those three words slip out of his mouth.

On the other side of the door Oikawa was quiet. He knelt down and pushed his face against the wall.

“Because you love…?” he teased, unable to stop the smile from creeping onto his face.

Iwaizumi suddenly swung the door open and Oikawa nearly toppled over.

“Because I love…uh…because I…” Iwaizumi struggled for a word, any word that would pull him out of this mess.

Oikawa pushed himself up and brought his face close to Iwaizumi’s ears.

“Me?” he whispered with that low voice that he knew sent chills down Iwaizumi’s spine.

Iwaizumi jumped back, turning his head away from Oikawa as he felt his own face begin to heat up. Oikawa walked up to him again and bent down so he could nuzzle his head into Iwaizumi’s neck.

“Iwa-chan. I love you too.” He said, before planting a kiss on Iwaizumi’s cheek. He reached down to hold Iwaizumi’s hand.

“What is this?" he asked, looking at the cut on Iwaizumi’s right hand. "Why are you so careless?” Oikawa ran down the hallway with Iwaizumi trailing behind him.

“Where’s the first aid kit? Iwa-chan go sit down! No no. Go to the sink and wash the cut with soap! No no, don’t use soap!”

Oikawa ran about the living room, searching frantically for the first aid kit. Iwaizumi chuckled, glad to see the same old lively Oikawa again. As he watched Oikawa rummage through each cabinet, leaving a mess all over the floor he couldn’t stop his chuckle from turning into a laugh. 

“Iwa-chan! This isn’t a laughing matter! Why are you laughing?”

“The first-aid kit is in the cabinet by the kitchen, and you know you’re going to have to clean all that up right, Shittykawa?”

Oikawa ran towards the kitchen, and Iwaizumi heard a loud bang.

“Oi, Shittykawa! Are you trying to tear apart the house?” Iwaizumi shouted from on the couch. 

“Let’s just say we have more cleaning to do.” Oikawa replied, walking back and kneeling down next to Iwaizumi.

“We? I said that _you_ were cleaning that up. I don’t remember ever saying we.”

“But Iwa-chan~”

 “No.”

Oikawa pouted and took Iwaizumi’s hands into his own, carefully cleaning the cut and wrapping it with a white bandage. He planted a kiss on the back of Iwaizumi’s hand and stood up.

“Whatever you say, boyfriend.” Oikawa teased, winking.

Iwaizumi flushed. He was glad that his “boyfriend” had turned away from him to clean up the mess on the floor.

\-----

Iwaizumi woke up to the sudden vibration of his phone. It had been a week since they had officially started dating and Iwaizumi had never been happier. But he was not amused by the unannounced alarm. Iwaizumi was definitely not a morning person. Reaching out blindly for his phone, he cursed himself for forgetting to turn it off last night. It was a message from Ushijima:

  _Meet me at the cafe down the street now. We need to talk._

With a moan he lifted himself off the bed to get ready. _What does he want now?_ As he walked down the hall Iwaizumi passed by Oikawa’s room to find that he was surprisingly, not there. A note was stuck on the front of his door:

  _I’m going out for a bit. I’ll be back by lunch._

 _\- Oikawa <3           _ 

 _I wonder where he went,_ Iwaizumi thought to himself as he closed the door behind him.

\-----

He found Ushijima sitting in the far right corner and sat down on the seat across from him.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Ushijima stood up, slamming his hands on the table.

“Uh…sitting down? You’re the one who told me to come here you know?”

“No. I mean what do you think you’re doing anchoring down Oikawa like that?”

Iwaizumi was stunned. “What do you mean _anchoring down_ Oikawa?”

“Because of you he refused to join the national team!”

“What national team? He never told me about the national team.” his head was spinning. Why hadn’t he heard about this before? Oikawa never told him about playing in the national team. Wasn’t it always just college?

Ushijima sat back down.

“He really never told you that he had been invited to join the national team?”

“Really. He didn’t.”

“Well, he promised to train with us today. I’d like you to come watch.”

 _So that’s where he went. But why didn’t he tell me? Is this what has been troubling him?_ Iwaizumi’s previous concerns were suddenly overwritten by a new one.

\-----

Ushijima had brought Iwaizumi to a little window by the side of the gym where he could watch them play without being seen. A little into the distance, Iwaizumi could see a tall, handsome figure, unmistakably Oikawa. He fit in so well. He was not a level below any of the other players, in fact, he was probably better than most of them. Even from where he was standing, Iwaizumi could see the smile on Oikawa’s face, more radiant than ever. _This_ was where he belonged - on the volleyball court. Not in college, buried under books that he would never want to read.Iwaizumi felt a pang of guilt. Was he really the reason Oikawa refused to join the national team? But why would he do that? All he knew was that he was going to make everything clear. Tonight.

\-----

Oikawa returned right before lunch, just as he said he would.

“Iwa-chan! I’m home!” He announced as he kicked off his shoes by the entrance.

“I’m in the kitchen! Come in! Lunch is ready!”

Oikawa ran up to him, hugging him from behind. Iwaizumi was silent.

“Oikawa, we need to talk.” he said, after they had both sat down at the table.

Oikawa hated it when Iwaizumi used his name. He only ever says it when something was wrong.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were invited to join the national team?”

“How did you find out…?”

“I asked you why!”

“Because I never considered it as an option!”

“Why not?”

“If I joined the national team, I wouldn’t be able to spend time with you anymore.”

“But this is what you’ve always wanted!” _So it really was because of me. Ushijima was right._ Ushijima’s words came flooding back into his mind.

“No, Iwa-chan. _You’re_ what I’ve always wanted.”

“Oikawa. I don’t want you to skip out on this opportunity because of me. This is a once in the lifetime opportunity!”

“But Iwa-chan." 

“Don’t 'but Iwa-chan' me. Tell me you don’t want to play on the national team. Look me in the eye and tell me.”

“I- I-”

“See. You can’t do it.”

“Iwa-chan! Stop it! I’ve made up my mind. I want to go to college with you and stay with you. Forever.”

But Iwaizumi’s mind was set too. He refused to be the one to ruin Oikawa’s future. Iwaizumi scoffed.

“Oi, Oikawa. Who said I wanted you to go to college with me? Honestly, just the thought of having to spend another 4 years with you makes me sick.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“What makes you think you have the right to say that? I’d say I know myself well enough to be able to clearly articulate what I’m thinking. Don’t you?”

“But last week-”

“What _about_ last week? When you finished my sentence yourself? You know, I wasn’t the one who said I love you. It was _you_.”

“But you never disagreed.”

“Well, I thought that it’d be fun to play along with your silly game at first, but now it’s getting a bit out of hand. You better pull your silly mind back from space.”

"I know you're just saying this so that I will go join the national team."

"Oikawa, stop acting like you know everything about me. You don't know anything."

"I'm not saying I know everything about you, Iwa-chan. But I know you well enough to know that you would never joke about this."

"Well, too bad. You were wrong."

“But Iwa-” 

“Hey Bakakawa. Stop trying to force me into that ideal relationship that you made up in your tiny mind. Let me make something clear. I. Don’t. Love. You. ”

And with that he got up and left the table. As he walked away, he could hear Oikawa crying quietly in the background, and slowly, his own tears started rolling down his cheeks too. Inside his room, Iwaizumi rummaged through his own stack of letters. He had received an offer from a college in America, but he’d never told Oikawa. There was no point. He had never considered going so far away; but maybe, just maybe, leaving was his best option.

\-----

Iwaizumi sat in the in the far right corner of the coffee shop waiting for Ushijima. It had been more than a week since _that_ day and he hadn’t talked to Oikawa ever since, not that they’d seen much of each other anyways. If he had to be honest, the silence was slowly eating away at him, killing him off slowly, like a nasty little parasite. 

Several minutes later, Ushijima finally arrived.

“So, what did you want to talk about?” Ushijima asked, taking a sip out of his cup of coffee.

“I have decided to leave Japan.”

Ushijima almost choked on his coffee.

“I’ll be leaving tomorrow. I just thought that I should tell you.”

“Are you sure you want to do this? What about Oikawa?”

“I’m sure he’ll be fine. But make sure that he doesn’t train too hard and that he gets enough sleep. He doesn’t like eating vegetables but be sure that he eats them, and-”

Ushijima sighed. “You really don’t have to do this you know?" 

“I want to. Just please promise me you’ll look after him.”

“Of course.”

\-----

Iwaizumi walked around the house once more, trying to take it all in. It was only 5am and Oikawa was still fast asleep. He really didn’t want to leave on such a bad note, but he knew that talking would only make it harder. He did a final check to make sure that his letter to Oikawa was on the kitchen counter and then he took his luggage and headed for the airport.

_Oi Shittykawa,_

_By the time you read this I’ll probably already be on the plane. I’m sorry for yelling:  
_ _at you and I’m sorry for leaving so abruptly._

I’ve talked to the coach of the national team and he said he’d gladly accept you if you  
changed your mind and wanted to join them. I told him that you did. I suppose Ushijima  
will tell you more about it later on.

__T_ hank you for everything. ~~I love you~~_

_\- Iwaizumi_

He managed a smile, it was time to board the plane.

\-----

From his balcony he could see far across New York City. But nothing was of interest to him, not the bustling streets, not the lights and definitely not the people. He took out his phone to re-read, for the hundredth time, that one remaining message:

 _WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING! I SAW IT. THAT “I LOVE YOU” I SAW IT! DID YOU  
_ _THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU CROSSED IT OUT I WOULDN’T SEE IT? I LOVE YOU TOO!_

_STAY AT THE AIRPORT! PLEASE! DON’T MOVE! I’M COMING RIGHT NOW!_

His hands trembled as he wiped the tears off his face and turned off his phone.                                                                                                                

Iwaizumi looked up at the stars. The stars that reminded him of that boy; so beautiful, and now so far out of reach.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa walked out onto the balcony and closed his eyes, letting the cool breeze surround him. I will win. For me and for Iwa-chan. He looked up at the stars. Could Iwa-chan also be looking at the same sky right now? He smiled. They were both under the same sky. No matter where they were or how far apart, they would always be connected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is sort of like an extra chapter focused on Oikawa after Iwaizumi leaves because I thought that Oikawa deserved a little bit more attention. Who am I kidding, I just wanted to add more angst and tears before the final chapter (:

_How could he leave me like this? What did we say about staying together forever?_

Oikawa’s head was spinning as he raced through the airport, searching frantically for even just a trace of Iwaizumi among the sea of people.

“Oikawa!” Ushijima called out to him from behind as he slowly maneuvered through the crowd.

Oikawa had begged Ushijima (at the early hour of 7:00am on a Saturday) to give him a ride to the airport since he had no idea how to drive. He never felt the need to learn before. Everywhere he needed to go was usually within walking distance, and whenever he had to travel somewhere by car he would just call on Iwaizumi.

“Oikawa, stop! You won’t be able to find him like this. You don’t even know where he’s going.”

“WHAT ELSE CAN I DO?” Oikawa came to a stop, panting as he turned to face the tall figure behind him.

He fought back his tears, refusing to let Ushijima see him cry.

“TELL ME!”

He could see Ushijima’s mouth start to move but his deep voice drowned into the background, replaced by a faint buzzing sound.

_What else can I do?_ Suddenly, everything turned black.

\-----

Oikawa opened his eyes and stared at the white ceiling above him.

_I knew it. It was all just a dream. Iwa-chan wouldn’t leave me like that._

“You finally woke up.” Ushiwaka said, stretching out his numbed legs.

Oikawa pushed himself up so that he was resting against the headboard of the bed. _Oh, so it wasn’t a dream…_ , he thought to himself as he looked around to find himself in a hospital room.

“What happened?”

“Well you passed out in the middle of the airport. The doctors said that you just need some rest. You’ve been sleeping for hours.”

Silence filled the room as the events of that day finally flooded back into Oikawa’s memories, bringing him close to tears. Iwaizumi was gone. He really was gone.

“I had to carry you over here. You should really stop eating all that milk bread, its really starting to show. Who would’ve thought you’d be so heavy!” Ushijima joked, rubbing at his shoulders. 

Seeing that he didn’t bring even the slightest smile out of Oikawa, Ushijima slouched back down in his chair.

“You can’t keep sulking forever you know?”

Oikawa looked down at his hands and nodded. A few more minutes passed by in silence.

“Ushijima, I want to go home.”

“But the doctors-”

“Please. I want to go home”

Ushijima hesitated.

“A- Alright…I- I’ll see what I can do.” 

\-----

“Do you want me to stay for the night?” Ushijima got off the car and walked Oikawa to the door.

“No, it’s okay. I’ll be fine by myself.”

“I’ll drop by tomorrow then. Goodnight.”

Oikawa unlocked the door. It was cold inside. Cold and dark. He threw his keys onto the kitchen counter and stumbled down the hall, wandering aimlessly around the house. Everywhere he went and everything he saw reminded him of Iwaizumi. The way he used to snuggle up to Iwaizumi as they watched horror movies. The way Iwaizumi used to yell at him for leaving messes all around the house. The way Iwaizumi’s voice echoed down the halls when he called him in for dinner.

Dinner. He hadn’t had dinner yet. Perhaps dinner would make him feel better. Oikawa headed back for the kitchen and found the fridge filled to the brim. Of course Iwaizumi made sure it was fully stocked before he left. He shut the fridge door, taking a milk bread from the side cabinet instead. _Whatever, I wasn’t hungry anyways._ With his milk bread in hand, Oikawa made his way to Iwaizumi’s room, hoping that he had left behind some clues as to where he went.

Iwaizumi’s room looked no different from yesterday. He didn’t bring much with him. His sports trophies still sat at the top of his cabinet, just above all his books. Many of his clothes still hung neatly in his closet. The pictures were gone though; the pictures that they took together and the pictures that they took with their team. Oikawa spent at least two hours in Iwaizumi’s room rummaging through each of his books to see if he had left a secret note in between the pages. He searched everywhere - in the cracks between the cabinet and the wall, inside his pillow cases, under his rugs. Nothing. Oikawa was just about to give up when he noticed a crumpled piece of paper sitting in the trash can by his desk. It was a letter from Iwaizumi.

_Hey_ _Shittykawa,_

_There’s so much that I want to say, I don’t know even know where to start. I guess I’ll  
just start from the very beginning._

_The first time we met it was summer vacation. Remember? I was out by the lake with my  
fishing net and you, of course, _ _had your volleyball. Just as I was about to catch my first  
fish, your stupid volleyball bounced over to my side and scared all the fish away. I was  
furious. But then I looked in your direction and there you were, back to the sun, your  
light brown curls flowing in the summer breeze. You looked like an angel. I didn’t know  
__w___ _hat to say to you, or what to do so I just_ kicked the ball back to you and walked away.  
I must have seemed pretty grumpy, huh?

 _It seemed almost too coincidental when a week later on the first day of school, I walked  
into the classroom to see you sitting alone in the back of the class, your volleyball at your  
feet. Honestly, I was glad that the seat next to you was the only one that wasn’t occupied.  
It gave me an excuse to be near you.You were was always so shy and quiet. You have no  
_ idea how shocked I was when you came over to me that day and asked me if I wanted to  
play volleyball with you.

_I sucked at volleyball. There’s no use denying it. Yet you stayed with me. You were so  
patient,_ slowly guiding me and teaching me.You brought volleyball into my life and for that,  
I can’t thank you enough.

  _You are the missing piece of me, my other half. For, what is a spiker without his setter and  
what is the dark without the light? And more importantly, what am I without you?_

 _I know how much volleyball means to you and I don’t want to be the one to stand in between  
you and your dreams. Join the national team, beat everyone out there, and make me proud._ ___  
__ I know you can do it. I’ll always be watching you from afar._

_I wish I could say this to you a thousand times, over and over again._

_I love you._

_______ \- Iwaizumi_

This time, Oikawa couldn’t stop his tears.

\-----

Oikawa walked out onto the balcony and closed his eyes, letting the cool breeze surround him. _I will win. For me and for Iwa-chan._ He looked up at the stars. _Could Iwa-chan also be looking at the same sky right now?_ He smiled.

 _Stupid Iwa-chan. Why didn't you tell me any of this in person? I know you'll come back some day, and when you do I'll make you say it million, no a billion times. I love you._ They were both under the same sky. No matter where they were or how far apart, they would always be connected.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please leave me comments below! I love reading your comments (:
> 
> The next chapter will most likely be the final chapter! It might take me a while though, since I have several tests coming up. Hopefully I can get it done soon!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> From his bed, Iwaizumi looked out the window. Ever since that day, three years ago, he always slept with the curtains open; that was the only way he could see the stars. There was something very mesmerizing about stars and the way they decorated the night sky and lit up the dark. 
> 
> But to Iwaizumi, the stars meant something even greater. They were his only source of reassurance; the only things in his messed-up life that told him everything was okay.

From his bed, Iwaizumi looked out the window. Ever since that day, three years ago, he always slept with the curtains open; that was the only way he could see the stars. There was something very mesmerizing about stars and the way they decorated the night sky and lit up the dark. But to Iwaizumi, the stars meant something even greater. They were his only source of reassurance; the only things in his messed-up life that told him everything was okay.

He sat up on his bed and looked around him. His roommate, Kuroo, was fast asleep with his head sandwiched between two pillows. Iwaizumi was always concerned that some day he’d end up suffocating himself.

Iwaizumi took out his phone to check the time. 2am. _The match should be starting soon._ He turned on his computer and cringed as the familiar start-up sound echoed throughout the room. Kuroo groaned.

“Is there…another… _yawn_ …match today?” he asked, his voice slightly muffled by his pillows.

 “Yeah, sorry to wake you.” Iwaizumi reached for his headphones.

 “Uh huh…no problem. Just…don’t sleep too late.” Kuroo yawned again. “We…have an early...flight…tomorrow”

 “Yep. No problem.”

Iwaizumi opened the live stream just in time to see Ushijima march onto the court, Oikawa following not far behind. In the last three years Iwaizumi had not missed a single one of Oikawa’s matches. He watched each and every one of them, even if it meant waking up at 4am or pulling an all-nighter before midterms.

By the time the match ended it was almost 4am. _That was a tough match._ Iwaizumi lay down and looked out the window again.

 _Oikawa looked a lot skinnier than last time and his jump was also significantly weaker…_ _Has he not been eating properly? But his toss was definitely much more precise._

Iwaizumi let these thoughts clutter his head as he slowly drifted off into sleep. 

—————

“Kuroo! Hurry up! We’re leaving!” Iwaizumi pounded on the bathroom door.

“Alright! Calm down, Iwa-chan. There’s still five more minutes till six.” Kuroo yawned as he swung open the door.

Iwaizumi turned and walked down the narrow hallway towards their bags.

“I told you not to call me that. And honestly, I don’t know what takes you so long. You literally leave the house with bed head.” he glanced back, narrowing his eyes at Kuroo.

Kuroo shrugged. “Hey, but it looks good on me.”

“‘Yes, yes whatever you say.”

Iwaizumi lifted his luggage off the ground, but a sudden sharp pain in his knee forced him to drop it.

Kuroo snatched both suitcases before Iwaizumi had the chance to reach for them again.

“Hajime, you can take the backpacks.”

Kuroo nodded in the direction of the bags that sat on the floor by the table.

“It’s just a minor injury.”, Iwaizumi complained. “I’m not _crippled_ , you know?” 

Unwillingly, he bent down to pick up their bags. Kuroo rolled his eyes and poked Iwaizumi on his knee. Iwaizumi winced.

“‘Yes, yes, Hajime, whatever you say."

————— 

“Thanks for letting me stay at your place, Kuroo.”

Iwaizumi put is bag down by the bed.

“Don’t worry about it. You’re going to join the national team for practice tomorrow right? ” he asked, in an attempt to change the topic.

“Yep. Want to come watch?”

“Can I?”

Iwaizumi shrugged. “I don’t see why not.”

“Hey Hajime, why did you turn down the U.S. national team just to come back to Japan? Actually, why are you even be playing at all?”

Iwaizumi let out a light laugh as he continued to unpack his bags, laying out his clothes for tomorrow by the side of his bed.

“You heard the doctor. Not even surgery can pull me out of this one. If I only have a bit of time left, why not return to my roots, right?”

Iwaizumi took out the polaroid of Oikawa that was stashed in his wallet and ran his thumb over its smooth surface.

 _And plus,_ he thought to himself _if there really is a day when that one toss is going to be the last one I ever receive, I want it to be from him.”_

Iwaizumi turned around to ask Kuroo for a spare toothbrush, but Kuroo was already fast asleep.

—————

“KUROO! I thought you said you wanted to come to practice with me!” Iwaizumi shouted, trying to shake him awake. “I’m not going to be late on the first day!”

Kuroo moaned.

It was 7:50, Iwaizumi had been trying to wake him up since 20 minutes ago.

“If you don’t get out of bed I’m going to pour a bucket of water over your face. Maybe it’ll even help fix that ridiculous bed head of yours.”

Kuroo sprang up. He didn’t need a second warning.

“J- Just give me fifteen minutes to get ready.”

“Ten.”

“But Haji-”

“Five.” Iwaizumi tilted his head and smirked.

Kuroo pushed him out of the way, “You’re terrible, you know that?”

They were out of the house by 7:57.

————— 

“Today we are joined by a new member. He was recruited by the U.S. national team, but we are lucky that he chose to return to Japan instead…”

Iwaizumi trailed closely behind the coach as he rambled on. Among the group standing in front of him, Iwaizumi spotted the startled faces of Ushijima and Oikawa. It had been three years since he last saw Oikawa; in person, anyways.

“Why don’t you introduce yourself, Iwaizumi?”

At the sound of his name, Iwaizumi snapped back into reality. 

“My name is Iwaizumi Hajime” He announced, slightly louder than he had intended. “I am currently a third year in college and I am a wing spiker.” 

He bowed.

“I look forward to playing with you all!”

“Okay.” The coach positioned himself between Iwaizumi and the team. “Let’s get to practice. Oikawa, why don’t you give Iwaizumi a few tosses.” 

Oikawa grabbed a ball from the basket and headed for the court. Iwaizumi followed him.

It all happened so quickly. The ball went up in the air and within seconds it had been slammed into the ground. Iwaizumi looked at his right hand. There was a familiar tingling sensation that hid behind the bright red surface of his palm. Slowly, he lifted his eyes to meet Oikawa’s gaze. To make the ball appear exactly where you wanted it to, and to bring out the absolute best in you. _That_ was the magic of Oikawa Tooru.

The gym fell silent. Iwaizumi walked back to the end of the court and raised a finger in the air.

“One more!”

When he turned around, he thought he saw Oikawa smile.

—————

“Iwaizumi, you don’t need to come to practice this afternoon. Go home and get some rest. You did well today.”

“Thank you, coach.”

Iwaizumi followed the rest of the team to the locker room. He could hear Oikawa and Ushijima talking not far behind him. Three hours of practice and he hadn’t said anything to either of them, well at least nothing of any importance. He didn’t know what to say or where to start. Oikawa had spent most of the practice within a 4 meter radius of Ushijima. It was expected that they’d be so close, after all, they _have_ been playing together for three years. But that didn’t mean that Iwaizumi could let the matter slip by so easily.

“Hajime!” Kuroo called out, leaning against a large pole right outside the gym.

“I’ll be out in a few minutes!” Iwaizumi shouted in Kuroo’s direction before continuing towards the locker room.

Oikawa stopped in front of Kuroo and ushered for Ushijima to move on.

“What’s your name?” Oikawa asked, flashing a slightly threatening smirk.

“Kuroo. Kuroo Tetsurou.” he looked Oikawa straight in the eye.

“Ah, Kuroo? I’m O-”

“Oikawa. I know”

Oikawa was slightly taken aback by Kuroo’s calm demeanor. He studied Kuroo from the corner of his eyes. He had to be honest. This tall, lean boy with the tousled black hair was rather handsome; and judging by his thighs, he must have been an athlete too.

“I heard you call Iwa-chan Hajime. You two must be on good terms.”

 _Iwa-chan_. _Oikawa just called him Iwa-chan._ A gear seemed to click in Kuroo’s mind.

“Well, we’re roommates, so yes, I’d say we’re on pretty good terms.” 

“Roommates huh?”

Both of them remained silent. 

Just as the tension between them was about to peak, Iwaizumi stepped out of the locker rooms.

“Kuroo let’s g-” he stopped. _Why is Oikawa here?_

“Hey Iwa-chan! It’s been a while hasn’t it! Do you want to catch up over some lunch? How about that restaurant with the really good agedashi tofu that you liked?”

Iwaizumi’s head was spinning. _Agedashi tofu sounded perfect. Wait, he remembered? No, that’s not important. I’m not ready to face him yet. I need to find a way out of this._

Kuroo noticed Iwaizumi’s hesitation and stepped in.

“I think he’s tired today. We’re still recovering from jet lag. Maybe some other day?" 

“Oh, of course. How inconsiderate of me. Well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then, Iwa-chan~ And I hope you get _plenty_ of rest, Kuroo.”

After seeing Oikawa disappear into the locker rooms, Kuroo elbowed Iwaizumi.

“Don’t you see the start of a promising friendship here?” he teased.

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes.

“Oh yes. Keep heading down _this_ path and I’m sure his fist will be very well acquainted with your face.”

—————

Iwaizumi looked at the calendar. A month had passed since he joined Japan’s national team and somehow, he had managed to avoid all conversations with Oikawa and Ushijima. Unless it was absolutely necessary, they basically never talked.

“Are you sure you want to go to practice today?” Kuroo asked, handing Iwaizumi a new ice pack. “Just look at your knee!”

“I’ve only been training with them for a month and we only have two more practices until the game. I can’t afford to skip _any_ practices.” Iwaizumi argued as he wiped off the water that was dripping from the ice pack.

“At this rate you won’t even be able to _go_ to the game.”

“I can manage. Have a bit more faith in me.”

“I really wish you’d take better care of yourself.” Kuroo sighed and tossed Iwaizumi his knee brace.

“Stop whining, Kuroo. You sound like my mom. Come on, let’s go.”

————— 

Practice proved to be much harder than Iwaizumi had anticipated. By the end of practice, Iwaizumi could feel his knees giving in.

“Iwaizumi” he saw Oikawa walking slowly towards him.

Iwaizumi hated it when Oikawa said his name. He only ever used it when he was dissatisfied with something.

“Did you think I wouldn’t notice? Your jump was significantly lower today and the amount of power you put on the ball has decreased too. We only have one more practice before the game. Now is not the time to slack off.”

“I know, I’m sorry.”

Iwaizumi got up from the bench, losing his balance slightly. He cringed. It wasn’t a large fumble, but he knew that it wouldn’t be able to escape Oikawa’s eyes. Oikawa grabbed Iwaizumi’s wrist and pulled him down, forcing him to sit back on the bench.

“What’s wrong?” Oikawa’s deep brown eyes stared into Iwaizumi’s.

“It’s nothing.” Iwaizumi said, averting his gaze.

Oikawa sighed and pulled down Iwaizumi’s right knee pad, revealing his swollen, purple knee.

“What have you done?”

Iwaizumi flinched at the sudden loudness of Oikawa’s voice.

“It’s nothing. It’s just a minor injury.”

“How is _this_ a minor injury?” Oikawa narrowed his eyes at Iwaizumi. “Come with me. We’re going to talk to the coach. You’re not going to play with your knee like that.”

“No, Oikawa. The game is in two days.”

“Just play in the next one.”

“What if I don’t have a next time?” Iwaizumi muttered under his breath.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing.” Iwaizumi said, backing away. “See, this is why I didn’t tell anyone, Oikawa. I’m. Going. To. Play. In. The. Game. And that’s the end of that. ”

Oikawa stood up. Iwaizumi could tell he was furious.

“How could you be so selfish?” Oikawa was shouting now. “I’m not going to stop you, but I’m sure you’re well aware of the fact that if you play while you’re injured you’re only going to drag the whole team down. _You’re_ the one who couldn’t take care of yourself, _we_ shouldn’t need to suffer the consequences. ”

And with that, Oikawa stormed out of the gym, slamming the door behind him. For the first time in three years, Iwaizumi couldn’t hold back his tears.

—————

_I didn’t mean it like that. I just don’t want him to play. I don’t want him to keep injuring himself._

Oikawa slammed the gym door behind him and bumped straight into a dissatisfied Kuroo.

“I’m assuming you heard everything.”

Kuroo shrugged.

“Maybe not _everything_ , but I’ve heard enough.”

“Well, if we’re done here I need to get going.” Oikawa said, stepping over to his right.

Kuroo scoffed.

“Sorry, but we’re _not_ done here. Come with me.”

He dragged Oikawa out of the stadium and into the park.

“Let. Me. Go.” Oikawa struggled against Kuroo’s grip. “What are you-”

“Do you think it’s funny? Hajime’s injury?”

Oikawa was taken aback by his question.

“Did you ever even stop to consider _how_ he got that injury? Or was that just never a concern of yours?”

Oikawa was fuming. Of course he wondered. Of course he cared. But he would never admit it, especially not to the likes of Kuroo.

“Well either way it’s not _my_ fault. And If you don’t mind I told Ushijima I would meet him outside the locker room around…now, so-”

Kuroo smirked, sending a chill down Oikawa’s spine.

“When I first met him in New York, his jump was weak and he could never find the balance between power and control. Of course, _you_ would know this better than anyone else.” Kuroo said, pointing at Oikawa.

“But he trained harder than all of us. He was always the first one to arrive to practice. He stayed in the gym to train even when everyone else had gone home. He never stopped.”

Kuroo took a deep breath.

“He once told me about his best friend in Japan, going on and on about what an amazing volleyball player he was. He told me that he had to train to be the best so he wouldn’t be a set back for him. He watched each and every one of his matches online, even if meant that he wouldn’t get any sleep that night. That’s how important he was to him.”

Oikawa’s vision blurred, his eyes watering. Kuroo turned around to face the stadium.

“He pushed through all his injuries. He trained himself to the verge of collapsing. He worked himself to the core. For you, Oikawa.”

And with that he was gone.

Oikawa’s tears were unstoppable now, running in streaks down his face. He wanted to scream.

_That idiot. How was I supposed to know?_

He pounded his fist on the tree behind him. _How was I supposed to know?_

—————

“Haijme. Not even I can let you go into the game like this” Kuroo said, looking at Iwaizumi’s swollen knee.

Iwaizumi pulled on his knee pad.

“Kuroo, please. It’s my final match. Just let me be selfish for one last time more.”

He pushed the door open and joined his team in the locker room.

—————

 

24-23. They just needed one more point. Iwaizumi nodded at Oikawa, and started to run up to the net, almost yelling from the pain in his knee. _Just one more point. Just one more,_ he told himself. He was going to win this point for the team.

The ball went up in the air, right in front of him. He jumped and the same familiar tingle hit his palm. He heard the whistle. They won the first set.

Everything turned black.

—————

Iwaizumi opened his eyes to find himself looking at the white ceiling of the hospital room.

“Iwa-chan! You’re awake!” Oikawa’s voice pierced through the silence in the room.

“Oikawa, what are you doing here? Isn’t the match still going?”

“I told the coach I wanted to come to the hospital with you.” 

“You what? How could you leave your team behind like that, Oikawa?”

Oikawa’s eyes widened.

“I thought you would be happy that I came with you…" 

“I’m not happy. I’m not happy at all. I don’t want you here, go back to the team.” 

“I- I understand…”

Oikawa stood up and left the room. Iwaizumi’s tears threatened to spill over again.

————— 

For the next two weeks, Oikawa visited Iwaizumi every day after practice. 

“Oikawa, you’re going to overwork yourself.”

Ushijima frowned as they drove into the hospital parking lot.

“You can’t manage practice, matches _and_ nursing.”

“I’m not _nursing_ him Ushijima. I just need to make sure he’s okay…" 

Oikawa thought about what the doctor had told him.

 _I was in contact with his doctor in New York and he said that Iwaizumi returned to Japan  
knowing full well what his condition was like. I’m surprised that he chose to keep playing  
even under these circumstances. He must have been in a lot of pain. This knee injury isn’t  
_ a light matter. It’s not something that physical therapy or even a surgery can fix.

_I don’t think Iwaizumi will ever be able to play volleyball again._

He stepped off the car and stopped. Everything around him seemed to be spinning.

“Umm, Oikawa are you okay?” Ushijima asked from the driver’s seat.

“Oh, yeah.” Oikawa replied, after a while. “Thanks for the ride, Ushijima. I can just walk home from here later. I’ll see you tomorrow!”

—————

Oikawa slid open the door to Iwaizumi’s room and felt his eyes water again. He couldn’t stand seeing Iwaizumi like this. The thought of Iwaizumi never being able to play again tore his heart apart. 

He wiped away his tears. 

“IWA-CHAN!”

Oikawa skipped into the room and sat down on the stool by Iwaizumi.

“Was Kuroo here again today?” he asked, looking at the box of mochi that was sitting on the table.

“Yeah, he dropped by a while ago. Oikawa, why are you here _again?_ Don’t you have anywhere else to be?”

“Iwa-chan you’re so mean! Well I have a few essays to write before school starts next week, but that can wait.” Oikawa said, shrugging. “Oh, I brought some Agedashi tofu. I’ll put it over here so you can eat it for dinner." 

Oikawa coughed. The room around him started to spin again.

“Oikawa are you sick?”

Oikawa winked and flashed his most radiant smile at Iwaizumi.

“Do I look sick to you?”

Iwaizumi sighed.

“Just go home.” he said rolling his eyes.

“Okay, okay. Bye Iwa-chan! I’ll see you tomorrow!” 

Oikawa got up from the stool.

After he was sure he was out of Iwaizumi’s sight, Oikawa stopped and leaned against the wall. Everything around him was moving. He had been experiencing periods of dizziness for the last few days but none of them were as bad as this one. Oikawa could feel the sweat on his back soaking through his shirt as the lights dimmed out.

Iwaizumi grabbed his crutches and hurried out of his room after hearing a loud thud coming from the hallway.

There Oikawa was, lying on the cold tile surface.

—————

Oikawa woke up to find Iwaizumi sitting on a chair beside the bed with his head resting just next to Oikawa’s arm. He looked so peaceful in his sleep. Carefully, Oikawa ran his fingers through Iwaizumi’s spiky hair. 

Iwaizumi flinched and sat up slowly. 

“You’re awake! Oikawa don’t you ever do that again! Do you know how much you scared me?”

Oikawa burst into tears right in front of Iwaizumi.

“Why are you crying, you idiot?” 

“I- I was so r- rude to you that day, and you were al- always so cold to me wh- when I came to v-visit… I- I thought you h-hated me, Iwa-chan.” Oikawa stuttered in between his sniffling. 

“Oi, shittykawa. I was never mad at you. I was mad at myself. I wanted to be stronger so I wouldn’t be a burden to you, but all I did was put you in a hospital bed. I’m sorry.”

“Iwa-chan, I’m fine.” Oikawa said, smiling and flexing his arms to prove his point. “But why did you come back to play volleyball in Japan?” 

“Do you not want me back here? I can always go back to New York if you want me to.” Iwaizumi teased.

“NO! I- I just…you knew about your injury…why did you keep playing?”

“When the doctor told me that I might never be able to play volleyball again, I knew that if I was going to receive a toss for the last time in my life, I wanted it to be from you.”

This made Oikawa cry even harder. Iwaizumi pulled him into a hug.

“Oi, shittykawa stop crying. You’re going to wake the entire hospital.”

“Iwa-chan. I’m sorry.”

Iwaizumi flicked him on the forehead.

“What are you sorry for. _I’m_ the one who should be sorry.”

“Hey Iwa-chan?” Oikawa nuzzled his head into Iwaizumi’s neck. “I love you.”

Iwaizumi wrapped his arms around Oikawa and pulled him closer.

“I love you too. Now go back to sleep. You need to get more rest.”

“Iwa-chan, are you my mom?”

Iwaizumi glared at him.

“Okay, okay. I’m sorry Iwa-chan. I’ll go to sleep.” Oikawa threw himself down on the bed and was asleep within minutes.

—————

Iwaizumi looked at the boy sound asleep in front of him. He didn’t need the stars tonight. Oikawa was his star; the only star he would ever need.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that was the final chapter to this story and also the end of my first fic TwT Thank you so much for reading!! I hope you enjoyed it!!! 
> 
> Feel free to leave me some comments to tell me what you think <3

**Author's Note:**

> This is actually my first fic on here and to be honest, I'm not sure if I want their relationship to end just like this. Should I keep this story going?
> 
> Please leave some comments for me!!
> 
> (p.s. HUGE thanks to Em aka hajiimee (go check out her stories) for catching my silly errors :')


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